Brian Calley is stepping aside from his part-time legislature initiative.

Former Rep. Bart Stupak (D) said “a number of Democrats have asked him to run for governor and for the first time, he confesses he has not ruled it out.”

“Stupak contends if there are four or more candidates running for governor, and there are currently three, he could win the contest with 25 percent of the vote. … If there are four candidates running, ‘I would have to have a very serious conversation with my wife’ about running.”

“Two weeks ago he revealed that his wife told him he had to stay out of elective politics for four years Stupak says his ‘probation’ is now over, but he is not interested in running for governor. ‘I’m off probation,’ he said at the time. But does he want to run for governor? ‘No, thank you.’

“[H]is critics contend he would have a tough time winning a four-way race because he is pro-guns and is pro-life. But he points out one third of the Democratic party is also pro-life. When he ran for Congress he was very popular in what is now Donald Trump country and he figures, with his conservative leanings, if he ran again he would win.” (WLNS)

SAW IT COMING. “Lt. Gov. Brian Calley (R) handed over the leadership of his part-time Legislature ballot drive to conservative grassroots activists Friday, as he prepared for an expected 2018 campaign for governor. … Calley said he will continue to advocate for the constitutional amendment but will focus his time on a ‘broader agenda to continue Michigan’s comeback in 2018 and beyond.’ He stopped short of declaring his GOP gubernatorial candidacy, but an announcement is expected before year’s end.”

Calley said “the Clean Michigan committee is halfway toward collecting the 315,000 valid signatures needed to make the ballot, which includes an extra cushion of petitions to allow for duplicates and flaws. The initiative is ‘on track,’ he said, and the goal is to submit petitions in mid-to-late January — more than six months after the petition wording was tweaked in July.” (AP)

THE OTHER GUYS. The Michigan Nurses Association endorsed Detroit Health Director Abdul El-Sayed (D) on Monday. “The Michigan Nurses Association is the largest labor and professional association for registered nurses in Michigan.” (release)

El-Sayed says former President Bill Clinton encouraged him to “consider a career in public service” after they both spoke at the University of Michigan’s 2007 graduation ceremony. (Forbes)

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (D) “got a decisive [reelection] victory … on Tuesday. … But even before the celebratory champagne ran out, talk that Duggan might run for the governor’s seat in 2018 was back in full force. … [T]he political dynamics at play suggest that a politician with Duggan’s ambition, vision and popularity may find it difficult to resist what looks like a prime opportunity. Weakness among the current declared candidates could inspire a real push — behind the scenes—to get Duggan into the race.” (Detroit Free Press)

MUST BE THE HAIR. Rep. Paul Mitchell (R) endorsed state Attorney General Bill Schuette (R) on Monday: “Bill Schuette is the candidate who will bring more jobs to Macomb County and all of Michigan. … Bill Schuette stands by the Michigan taxpayer even when that means standing against members of his own party.” (release)

"President Trump signed a sweeping spending bill Friday afternoon, averting another partial government shutdown. The action came after Trump had declared a national emergency in a move designed to circumvent Congress and build additional barriers at the southern border, where he said the United States faces 'an invasion of our country.'"

Source:

REDIRECTS $8 BILLION

Trump Declares National Emergency

6 days ago

THE DETAILS

"President Donald Trump on Friday declared a state of emergency on the southern border and immediately direct $8 billion to construct or repair as many as 234 miles of a border barrier. The move — which is sure to invite vigorous legal challenges from activists and government officials — comes after Trump failed to get the $5.7 billion he was seeking from lawmakers. Instead, Trump agreed to sign a deal that included just $1.375 for border security."

Source:

COULD SOW DIVISION AMONG REPUBLICANS

House Will Condemn Emergency Declaration

1 weeks ago

THE DETAILS

"House Democrats are gearing up to pass a joint resolution disapproving of President Trump’s emergency declaration to build his U.S.-Mexico border wall, a move that will force Senate Republicans to vote on a contentious issue that divides their party. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Thursday evening in an interview with The Washington Post that the House would take up the resolution in the coming days or weeks. The measure is expected to easily clear the Democratic-led House, and because it would be privileged, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would be forced to put the resolution to a vote that he could lose."

Source:

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, DRUG FORFEITURE FUND

Where Will the Emergency Money Come From?

1 weeks ago

THE DETAILS

"ABC News has learned the president plans to announce on Friday his intention to spend about $8 billion on the border wall with a mix of spending from Congressional appropriations approved Thursday night, executive action and an emergency declaration. A senior White House official familiar with the plan told ABC News that $1.375 billion would come from the spending bill Congress passed Thursday; $600 million would come from the Treasury Department's drug forfeiture fund; $2.5 billion would come from the Pentagon's drug interdiction program; and through an emergency declaration: $3.5 billion from the Pentagon's military construction budget."

Source:

TRUMP SAYS HE WILL SIGN

House Passes Funding Deal

1 weeks ago

THE DETAILS

"The House passed a massive border and budget bill that would avert a shutdown and keep the government funded through the end of September. The Senate passed the measure earlier Thursday. The bill provides $1.375 billion for fences, far short of the $5.7 billion President Trump had demanded to fund steel walls. But the president says he will sign the legislation, and instead seek to fund his border wall by declaring a national emergency."